Meteor Shower
by wispykitty
Summary: Meiling has been forced to work at a strip club in order to make money, but encounters trouble when she meets the man who knows her name. Who is this man, and what is his interest in Meiling?
1. She Works Hard For The Money

Oh yes, my legions of loyal fans, I have returned! Of course, returned being with a completely new story, and not an update to any my other stories, awaiting work. . One day, they will get finished. Hopefully. Anyhow, this story just kind of came to me the other night. To be completely honest, I'm still not really sure as to what the title even has to do with anything. But I'm working on it, I think I have a way of tying it in. :) But if any of you who read this are currently wondering about any of my other stories, whether they be CCS or WK or anything else, well, just a note. I'm done classes for the semester, but have an exam next Monday, which I must spend lots of time studying for. Then, by some luck of the draw, my boyfriend got a call out with the army down here (finally the army does something right!) so since we were apart for three months, I'm still in the phase of wanting to be glued to his side as often as possible. Therefore, when he's here, I'm not on the 'puter. He's spending the two weeks of Christmas at my house, so I won't have much of an opportunity to write then. . But anyways, my point, if there was one... If anyone is wondering about my beautiful array of banned NC-17 stories, I've finally decided on a design for my personal website, so hopefully over the next few weeks when I am on, I can at least get those uploaded there, and then get whatever updates I have up. Heck I might even put them up on here again, but, um, "fix" them so I can just rate them R this time. Heck none of them were even really bad enough to warrant NC-17, I just chose that because kids who shouldn't be reading them are less likely to read NC- 17 then they are to read R. Silly ff.net, I'm still pissed off at you punks for that banning decision. :P Okay when you start fearing that your intro rant is going to become longer than your chapter, it's time to shut the hell up. So now I will shut the hell up, and get this baby going. A note, the song referred to and quoted in this chapter is "Spin Spin Sugar" by the Sneaker Pimps. That is all.  
  
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The lights were dimmed low, some glowed red, others their usual yellowish- white. The few spotlights centred on the stage provided an almost cheap contrast to the regular lighting, as their blue and violet tints did nothing to match the reds and yellows. Everything there was mismatched; from the lighting, to the tables and chairs, the drinks, the customers. There was every type in the house tonight; the dirty pervert, out for a cheap thrill; the successful businessman, whose wife just wasn't satisfying him anymore; the young college boys, postponing their studies in favour of a little skin. But perhaps the most noticeable contrast was in the performers. There was your token implant queen, blonde hair and red lips; your lonely housewife, sinking to new lows for some excitement; the junkie girls, the cracking down of street police forcing them to flee to joints in order to make their cash. But perhaps the one, who stood out the most, was the one sitting at the bar, passing the time until her turn came up, nursing a glass of cinnamon whiskey. Having that cinnamon tainted taste in her mouth often helped. She looked up from her glass, eyeing the time.  
  
"Why don't you go back and get ready sugar? No sense in sitting out here." She looked up at the man who spoke to her, a faint smile on her lips.  
  
"I'm fine Ken, but thank you for inquiring." Her eyes followed him, as he nodded his head and shrugged, walking down to the other end of the bar, taking an order from a sweaty overweight man. She shuddered and reminded herself what she was doing here, and why she needed this money. Her eyes drifted back to Ken. For as much as the older man seemed to worry about her well-being, she often found herself worrying about his. She knew Ken was currently seeking to avoid the tax creditors, a few unpaid credit card bills a parting present from his ex-wife. If she weren't so desperately in need of the money from this job herself, she would graciously fork over all her earnings to the man who had been the only one who seemed to care about her here. For as much as the other girls fawned over her and played mother to her, she knew that to them, she was only competition. She looked back down the bar at that man who had ordered a drink, and found it hard to convince herself to stay. Before any bad memories could force their way into her mind, she threw her head back and finished off her glass, the tingling sensation it caused on her lips a welcome distraction. She got up from her stool at the bar, and quietly made her way to the back. She listened to the pounding rhythms booming from the speakers; glad she at least was granted the choice of performing to whichever song she wanted. She entered the changing room, stopping in front of the mirrors to check her appearance. Perfect, as always. Not a thing out of place. Except for her.  
  
"Why are you still here darling? You should go home, get yourself work elsewhere. At least at some higher rate club or something. You don't belong here, you know that."  
  
"And if I didn't, you'd continue telling me so until the day I finally left, wouldn't you?" She smiled at the woman in front of her, 24 years old, looking 34. Rina was a heroin addict, having spent the better part of her adolescence working as a prostitute on the streets of Tokyo. She never tired in telling her how she shouldn't be here, that she was too good for it.  
  
"Rina, if I left, I'd take you with me. No one really deserves to be at a place like this. But sometimes it's just the only thing we can get away with. I would never chance one of those high profile places, I'd doubtless run into someone who knew someone, who slept with the wrong person and wanted revenge. Enter the lovely cut-throat business world of darling daddy." She sighed, hugging Rina. Rina was really the only other performer here she cared about. She wasn't lying when it came to taking Rina away; Rina was another one of her fantasy charity cases, much like Ken. If only she could manage, she'd take them both and leave. Odd thoughts for a 16- year-old girl to have of grown adults, but some people just don't know how to properly care for themselves.  
  
"Are you on next?" Rina sat down on one of the benches, slowly removing her attire.  
  
"Yeah, as soon as Atsuko is done."  
  
"Hey, anything to get her nasty butt off the stage works for me." Rina laughed at her own joke, receiving a smile in return for the attempted humour.  
  
"The sooner she comes off though, the sooner you have to talk to her, don't forget." Rina made a face, and began changing more quickly. Atsuko's music came to an end, and she came off, brushing past everyone in a hurry to count the money stuffed into her thong and bra. The young Chinese girl shook her head, mentally preparing herself for what came next. She mounted the steps, removing her slippers and leaving them at the back of the stage. She heard the announcer make his usual announcement about her being their favourite innocent virgin girl, and as usual she tried to keep from crying out against the false pretences he was placing her under. But she put on her game face, and walked out to the center of the stage, in time with her own music. She mouthed along to the lyrics, her usual routine enhanced by this song in particular.  
  
~I'm everyone, I feel used, I'm everyone, I need you, I'm everyone, peg your label on me, I'm everyone, paint it black and white and easy~  
  
She focused on several men in the audience surrounding the stage, her experience able to pick out the ones who would offer the highest tips, and who would likely be the easiest to con into a personal show later on. She was on her knees in front of a man, one she'd seen for a few weeks now, but who had never braved the stage seating before. She mouthed to him "call on me, spin spin sugar, crawl on me, spin spin sugar" in perfect timing with the music, tilting her head from side to side, twisting her body around, so that she was lying on her back in front of him, all the while never allowing her eyes to leave his. He surprised her by leaning over her face, and whispering in her ear, so low she was uncertain whether or not she had heard him correctly.  
  
"Make your money quickly Meiling, before you become my property." His words startled her; how did he know her name? No real names were allowed to be revealed to customers, and no one who dared to come here could possibly know who she was. She continued her routine, a little shaken, and on the opposite side of the stage from him. She could feel his eyes on her back, as though they were tearing into her, revealing her plans. Her music got lower, and she realized her set was over, but she was so engaged in thought about that man that she hadn't noticed it coming. She quickly exited the stage, not looking forward to the rest of her night. Now she would have private sessions set up for her, with any interested customers. The sessions were supposed to be display only, but she made extra money under the table if more went on. And sometimes, depending on the customer, she didn't have a choice.  
  
"So I see the shadow king has finally braved the stage, huh?" Rina watched as Meiling walked right past her, heading to the bench in order to sit down. She sat down beside the young girl, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Did something happen out there sweetie?" Rina tightened her grip a little on Meiling's shoulder, very curious as to what had occurred.  
  
"Rina, in all your time working these places, has anyone ever known your name?" Meiling looked into the face of her friend, eager for an answer.  
  
"Well, they say names aren't supposed to be revealed, but I have known a few club managers to give out names in exchange for money. Did that guy know your name?" Meiling nodded, as Rina's eyes registered understanding. "Don't worry about it sweetie. It's no big deal really, he's probably just some creep wanting a little extra." Meiling nodded, unsure as to whether she should tell Rina about what he had said, or whether she ought to keep it to herself. Interrupting her thoughts, the club manager entered the back room where the girls were, and called out a few names.  
  
"Alright girls, time for your favourite part of the night. Those of you whose names I called, can go on over to the green room. As for Atsuko and Sugar, you two have caught the eyes of some fine men. Atsuko, go on up to the black room. As for you Sugar, you have a special presentation to make in the red room." Upon hearing her stage name of Sugar, Meiling stood up, worry creasing her face. She took her time in heading up the stairs to the red room, not looking forward to the next two hours at all.  
  
She stopped in front of the door, and made an attempt to control her breathing. What if her customer was that man from the stage, the one who knew her name? What could he want? She was convinced he wanted more than some two hours of fun like Rina believed. She entered the room, and let her eyes fall on the bed. She breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't the man who knew her name. But it was the grossly overweight man, shirt soaked with sweat, and forehead beaded with perspiration. She reluctantly made her way towards him, not happy with the idea that she had to spend the next two hours at his beck and call.  
  
But money had to be made. And this was the quickest way. 


	2. Black Cars Look Better In The Shade

With chapter two, comes the cementation of the rest of the story in my head. I finally know exactly what is going on with this story, and where it's headed. I've also found a good way to tie in the meteor shower too, go me! ;) Anyhow, nothing much to say this time. Except that this chapter's inspiration came from looking at pictures of a meteor shower, and from DJ Sammy's song "Sunlight". That is all. Enjoy! ^_^  
  
Syaoran groaned as he heard his phone ring, not wanting to move from his position on the couch. After the third ring, he carefully lifted Sakura's head from his chest, and reached out with his left hand to grab the telephone lying on the table in front of him. Six rings got out before he finally picked up. A little annoyed, he spoke into the receiver.  
  
"Hello? Who is this?"  
  
"Did I call at a bad time?" The Chinese boy let out the breath he'd been holding in while awaiting a response, and spoke as quietly as he could, not wanting to wake his sleeping girlfriend.  
  
"Well, yeah, to put it simply. What do you want?" As much as he tried not to sound cranky and impatient, he knew his cousin would pick up that tone in his voice.  
  
"Well, if you hadn't been busy, I was going to ask you if you could come and pick me up. But since you're busy, never mind. I'll just walk home."  
  
"Hold on Mei, where are you?" Even though he would rather throw the phone across the room and lay back down, Syaoran couldn't help but be intrigued as to why Meiling would inquire for a ride home. She usually walked everywhere.  
  
"I'm down at the market. It's no problem though, sorry to bother you." Without waiting for a response from her cousin, Meiling hung up, embarrassed by the phone call. She returned to the chair she'd occupied at the café, and sat back down to finish her drink.  
  
Syaoran was stunned, hearing the dial tone in his ear for a few seconds before laying the phone back on the table. He was still curious as to why Meiling had called him in the first place. But since he had no number to dial back, he would have to wait until she returned in order to pry it out of her. Unable to fall asleep himself due to his curiosity over his cousin, he simply laid back on the couch, cradling Sakura in his arms. He didn't notice as she awoke, too immersed in his thoughts. Not until she kissed his nose did he realize she had awoken.  
  
"Oh, you're awake. The phone didn't wake you, did it?" She shook her head, and sat up, stretching her arms over her head.  
  
"Who was on the phone though?" Sakura turned her head to face him, noting the puzzled look on his face.  
  
"It was Meiling. She wanted me to come and pick her up at the market."  
  
"Really? Meiling, asking for a drive? That's odd. Did she say anything else?"  
  
"No. She hung up before I could ask her why. She said she was at the market, and wanted me to come and get her if I wasn't busy. Then she just hung up on me. Am I right to be a little curious?" Sakura sat back against the couch, just as perplexed as Syaoran.  
  
"It is weird. Even in bad weather, she always wants to walk or run wherever she's going. Maybe she sprained her ankle or something, and was just too embarrassed to say so? But she's so careful and graceful. Maybe she's sick?" Syaoran shook his head.  
  
"She doesn't get sick. And I've never seen her injured, unless it was from a fight. But who would she be fighting in broad daylight, in the market? The more I think about this, the more worried I get." Syaoran leaned his head down, rubbing his temples.  
  
"Do you think we should take a drive down there, see if we can find her?" Syaoran mumbled a reply, and rose to his feet. Sakura followed him as he grabbed the keys to his car, and headed out to the driveway. They both got in the car, and Syaoran backed out of the driveway, heading west down to the market area. He didn't sense anything wrong, so he wasn't too worried. Just confused.  
  
Meiling changed a look out down the street from her chair, noting with despair that the same black car was still sitting there at the curb. She hadn't realized the car had been following her until she sat down at the café. But she remembered now having seen this car on a few occasions, seemingly following her everywhere that she went. She didn't know who was inside, but she had a sneaking suspicion it was the man she had seen the night before. That one who had known who she was. Normally she would have pushed the car out of her mind, and walked home. But today, she was feeling a little different. For the first time in her life, after the episode from the previous night, she was feeling a little vulnerable. She didn't like this new feeling, but yet she couldn't help but give in to it. As she finished her drink, she stood up, walking up to the counter and paying her bill. She briefly considered what course of action she would take. She could always hail a taxi, and take it home. She had tried calling Syaoran, but couldn't think of a plausible explanation as to why she wanted him to pick her up. She couldn't tell him about that man. She couldn't really tell anyone, since no one knew that she worked there. If her family ever found out, then her plans would never come to light. So she had hung up on her cousin, knowing that he would be worried, but knowing that his worry would be better than this story coming out. Staring down the street again, she decided that she would not allow this black car, or that man, to impact her life anymore. She walked down the café steps, placing her two feet on the sidewalk. As she cast another glance down the street, noticing that as soon as she looked that way, the car quietly turned over, making no attempt to hide the fact that whoever was driving was following her. She turned her back to the car, and started walking down the street, in the general direction of her home. She would be damned if she was going to let vulnerability and fear invade her life.  
  
After an hour and a half of driving around, Syaoran pulled the car over to the side of the road, frustrated. He had seen no sign of Meiling, and when he had called home earlier, no one had answered. If she had walked home, she would have been there by then. So he sat in his car, staring out the window, paying no attention to Sakura, who was submitting reasons for Meiling's absence.  
  
"Let's just go home, maybe she is back there, but outside. Maybe she was taking a shower." Sakura placed her hand over Syaoran's, trying to get his attention.  
  
"You're right. She probably is back." Still feeling uneasy, Syaoran pulled out onto the road again, and drove back to the house he and Meiling occupied. The drive back was quiet, both of them eager to get back, certain they would see Meiling standing in the doorway, wondering where they had gone. Syaoran reached his hand over, and grasped Sakura's fingers, a little uncertain as to why he felt so uneasy. If something were wrong with Meiling, he would have sensed it. He would know.  
  
As he pulled into the driveway, he quickly shut off the engine, following Sakura up the steps to the house. No more than a foot inside the door, and he couldn't help but call out for Meiling. When no voice answered him back, he raced up the stairs, flinging open the door to her room. She wasn't there, but he did notice that her shoes were there, and her slippers were gone. So she must have made it back.  
  
"Syaoran, do you sense something?" Sakura stared intently at her boyfriend, having noticed him staring down at the floor, as if in concentration.  
  
"Oh, not really. I just noticed that her shoes are here, but her slippers are gone. So she must have gotten home fine." Sakura nodded at the revelation, turning out of the room to wander through the rest of the house, looking for her friend.  
  
Meiling sat outside, at the back of the yard, in the garden. Unaware that Syaoran and Sakura were back, she stared up into the darkening sky, looking for appearing stars. A slight chilly breeze had sprung up, and she hugged her arms around her knees. Her walk home had ended up being nothing to worry about. Surely, the black car had followed her home, but nothing had happened. No attempts at running her off the road, no attempts at stopping and picking her up. It had just followed her here, and she was fine with that. As she had decided earlier, she wasn't going to allow the presence of that car to throw her off her daily routine.  
  
She was faintly aware of a noise coming from the house, but she had no interest in it. She continued to keep her eyes glued to the sky, her interest in staring up into modern day astrology growing more as of late. As she made out a few constellations, she heard her name being yelled, and contemplated on whether or not she should answer. The two were obviously back now, and it would only be a matter of minutes before they found her sitting out here. But her disinterest in talking to either of them forced her mouth to remain shut, enjoying her last few moments alone before she was discovered. They didn't last too long, as she heard plodding footsteps behind her, and could sense her cousin's presence, based on the sounds the wind made while blowing against his body. She took a deep breath, and with no excuse to counter the questions he'd be asking her, she turned around, looking up into his eyes.  
  
"We've been looking for you for the past two hours nearly! What happened?" Meiling kept herself collected, as she watched the changing emotions evident on her cousin's face.  
  
"Oh? Why were you looking for me?" Meiling knew the answer, but made an effort to make him feel foolish for chasing after her. It was the only way she'd be able to get out of explaining her phone call.  
  
"Well, you called me and then hung up so suddenly. I was, I was just curious as to why you'd called me." Meiling knew by the way he had hesitated, that he had been going to tell her he'd been worried about her. But, being the stubborn male he was, refused to show his emotional side.  
  
"I had just felt a little tired from walking around in the sun. I had a headache." She said the first thing came to mind, and instead of darting away from his eyes, she retained a strong gaze. It took him by surprise, forcing him to be the one floundering for words.  
  
"But I've never seen you get tired from just walking around. And you never ask for a drive anywhere, no matter if it's pouring rain out. You always pride yourself on getting everywhere you have to go on your two feet. I just thought it was weird that you'd called and asked."  
  
"Well it didn't require you to send out a search team. I can take care of myself you know." On that note, she seized the opportunity to walk away, feigning offence. In reality her heart warmed, knowing that he had actually been worried for her. But she couldn't allow those emotions to interfere with seizing the opportunity to escape unscathed. She hurriedly walked back towards the house, slipping in through the screen door. She heard him coming after her, and made no effort to wait for him.  
  
"Meiling, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean to imply you couldn't hold your own or anything. I didn't mean to offend you." She stopped, and turned back around.  
  
"I know. I'm sorry I snapped at you, it's just been a long day. I think I'm going to go for a shower." She turned to go back up the stairs, heading to her room, leaving her cousin to stare up after her. Not until her heard the shower turn on, did he realize that she had managed to skirt his questions about her phone call. He knew the excuse she had given him was a bluff, and felt a little offended himself that she wouldn't confide in him. But he decided that if she didn't want to admit to him what had happened, then he would just let it go. After all, nothing bad appeared to have happened to her. He was likely just overreacting. He found Sakura in the living room, and joined her on the couch, sharing the details of his conversation. Sakura agreed that they should let the issue go, if Meiling was all right, then there was no reason for worry.  
  
From the window in the bathroom, Meiling looked out into the sky before stepping into the shower. She was feeling strong, she had managed to outskirt Syaoran, and everything was fine. But just as she turned from the window, a glint caught her eye. It was then that she noticed the black car sitting on the other side of the road, parked in front of their house. The tinted window was down this time, and she was able to see an arm, the elbow resting on the door. She noticed a cigarette dangling from the fingers, and smoke being blown out the window. She couldn't see anymore, due to the angle of elevation she was at in the upstairs bathroom. All she wanted to see was a face, but all she could see was an arm, and a hand. She backed away from the window, trying hard to regain her shattered composure.  
  
So what, some car was sitting outside her house. It was nothing to get worked up over. It was just a car. Nothing important. But would that car still be there when she snuck off to work tonight? Would it follow her home again? She stepped into the shower, trying her hardest to contain her tears. She hadn't cried in a long time, and she wasn't about to let some stupid car cause her to start up again. But the longer she thought about it, the harder it would become to hide this from her family. She just hoped she could find the strength to hold out long enough. 


	3. I Will Be Right Here Waiting For You

Sorry it's taking me a while to update, I think about this thing a lot, but never seem to be able to find the time to write. . But anyhow, here's the next part! Still a lot of mystery involved, but things will really start to pick up with the next chapter, I promise! ;)  
  
  
Looking out her window, she could still see the car that was parked out front. She tore herself from her observation point, settling on her bed, trying to calm herself down. She took a drink from her glass, and closed her eyes. She weighed the points that ran through her mind over whether or not she should go into work that night. She could always call in sick, she was pretty reliable with her boss, so he would believe her. But then that would convince that man of her fear. She didn't want that. So she decided that her only option would be to leave, and go in to work like always. If the man hadn't bothered her on her way home, maybe he wouldn't bother her on her way to work either. Maybe he was just some nutcase who wanted to feel important by stalking her. Whatever the case was, she tried to convince herself that whoever he was, even if he did try anything with her, she would have no problem defeating him. She had never backed away from any competitor before, so why start now?  
  
She waited until her clock read 1130, and then crept silently out of her room. She passed by the closed door of Syaoran's room, hearing soft music floating through the door. She continued on her way down the hall, skipping quietly down the stairs. She grabbed her jacket from the hook, and pulled it over her head, pausing in front of the door. Maybe it would be safer to leave through the back, and run along the forest wall. She turned around, heading towards the back of the house. She ran through the kitchen, unlatching the screen door to the patio. She ensured her keys to the house were still in her jacket pocket before closing the door, then, when satisfied, she left the house, running out for the safety of the woods just behind her house.  
  
Sakura sat on the ledge of the window in Syaoran's room, gazing out into the sky. She noticed a flicker of red down below, and looked out onto the back lawn, a confused look on her face. She was certain that had been Meiling, running out into the woods. But the figure was gone before Sakura had a chance to ask her boyfriend, and she contemplated on whether she should say anything to him. Maybe she had seen something else. She decided she would wait, and speak to Meiling in the morning. She fought the urge to go to the girl's room now, to see if she was even in the house. Meiling had retired to her room early tonight, after she had showered. She hadn't wanted any company, and had appeared to be in a rather strange mood. Sakura was worried about her friend, but figured she would give the girl some space. Besides, if Meiling wasn't back by 1am, Sakura would mention it to Syaoran.  
  
Meiling ran along the tree line, continually checking the road for any sign of the car. She never saw it, and was confident she had slipped away unnoticed. She slowed her pace a little, as signs of the city appeared. She kept up the pace of a light jog, dodging past various people filling the streets. She rounded the corner, and looked quickly around before darting into the club. Once inside she couldn't help but steal a glance around, looking for that man. Not having seen him, she continued in, walking to the end of the counter and taking her usual seat at the bar, for her usual drink before heading to the back and preparing. Ken slid a glass down her way, smiling as she caught it. The place seemed rather busy tonight, so Ken had no chance to sit a moment and talk to her. Meiling noticed the place seemed full of many younger men tonight, and figured it must be some college party or the like. A few of the young men at the bar she noticed were smiling her way, talking amongst each other and gesturing towards her. She shot her drink back, and got up from the bar, heading for the back.  
  
"Hey, bartender! What's that one called?" One of the rowdy young guys yelled for the bartender, his eyes sliding back to watch the retreating figure of Meiling. Ken leaned over on the bar, his own eyes on the girl.  
  
"Out of your league buddy. That there is our most expensive piece, I don't know if you can afford time with her." It saddened Ken to speak that way about her, but he couldn't afford to treat her any differently, lest it anger some of the other workers. But he had spoken the truth, in an effort to keep Meiling out of reach of the common street drunks and cheap trashy folk, they had all agreed that Meiling would carry a heightened price. No one really wanted to see her fall into the wrong hands.  
  
"Oh you think? Maybe so, but damn, would she ever be worth the price." Ken kept a firm grip on the edge of the counter, wanting nothing more than to grab across the counter and slug the man. He simply nodded and walked down the counter, seeing another customer.  
  
Meiling shut her locker, her regular clothing stashed, her performance gear on. She sat down on the bench, not talking to anyone as she waited for her turn. Her mind reeled continually with thoughts of her stalker, and she hoped she wouldn't see him here tonight. She was aware that if she continued to be worried, it would affect her performance on stage. So she tried to relax, humming along with the song that was currently playing. She decided to do a few stretches while waiting to go on, to hopefully calm herself down. She gracefully slid down into a splits position, and leaned her body forward over her right leg. She continued stretching for ten minutes, finally getting up and dusting herself off. It was performance time, and she made her way to the stage. As she stood at the back, awaiting her music, her eyes quickly scanned the floor. From one corner to the next, she didn't see her stalker anywhere. She began her routine, settling into her stage presence. It seemed to go by quickly, and the loud cheers from the college frat boys certainly proved a distraction. Not to mention a few tips. She counted her tip money as she exited the stage, feeling a little better since she hadn't seen him out there anywhere. He must have given up on her.  
  
"Okay girls, time for some activity elsewhere." Their ears perked as they listened for their names to be called, and went off to do their extra shows. Meiling had again been requested in the red room. She skipped up the staircase, quickly walking down the hallway, stopping to push open the door. The room was dark, and at first she couldn't see anything, or anyone. Maybe her company hadn't arrived yet.   
  
She walked into the room, looking cautiously around. She heard a noise behind her, and turned in time to catch a glimpse of who her interested audience was for the night. She let a sigh of relief as she noticed three figures; the frat boys from the bar earlier tonight. Seems they must have all pooled their resources. She somewhat reluctantly allowed herself to be subject to their devices for two hours, blocking out the actions and instead thinking about how much extra she would be paid for tonight.  
  
Closing time came, and Meiling sat at the bar, recounting her money and tucking it, along with her check, into her wallet. She had made over $500 that night, much closer to her goal. She figured she only had another week or two before she made enough to quit. The prospect of being that much closer to her goal excited her. She pulled her jacket on and headed out, following her path back home. In her excitement over her money, she hadn't given much thought to her stalker, and had decided to run home along the road. She was nearing the bend and her house was in view, and she put on a little extra speed. As she came across the road and touched her feet to the lawn, she stopped suddenly, looking across the street.  
  
There sat a black car, the same black car that had been there earlier. The air caught in Meiling's throat, and she backed up against the side of the house. There was no movement from the car, but she could see the figure of a man sitting in the front seat. Meiling bolted for the front door, fumbling with her keys until she was able to unlock it. She chanced a look back across the street as she shut the door, noticing that the man hadn't moved still. Maybe he was asleep. Either way, Meiling was not up to facing him now, and she quickly fled for her room. She locked her door shut and climbed into her bed, pulling her covers over her head. She fought back the urge to cry, and instead tried to refocus her thoughts on her plans for the future. She would get through this, she had to get through this. No man in a black car would stop her. 


	4. Black Cars & The Men Who Drive Them

I apologize profusely to anyone who was reading this. This story just stopped writing itself. I kept thinking about it all this time, but never actually sat down to write any of it. However, lately the inspiration has sprang back at me, out of nowhere. I actually had written this chapter months ago, but for some reason never posted it. So it is being posted now, and I am currently finishing the next chapter. So that will be up soon enough. Hopefully those of you who were reading it are still interested in it. ;)  
  
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Meiling awoke to the sounds of yelling from below, and yawned loudly as she got up from her bed. She glanced at her clock, which told her it was a few minutes past ten o'clock. She pulled on a robe over her pyjamas, and left her bedroom, heading for the stairs. The commotion had piqued her interest. She walked into the kitchen, smiling at the sight of her cousin and his girlfriend arguing over a recipe. She went to the fridge, taking out an apple. She sat at the kitchen counter, her eyes fixed on the couple before her.  
  
"Good morning Meiling. As usual, Syaoran is being a complete jerk, and won't listen to me." Sakura had apparently given up on the stubborn Li boy, and sat next to Meiling. Meiling smiled, looking back at her cousin.  
  
"You knew about his stubborn nature from the beginning Sakura, so I have no sympathy. Now you know what I have been dealing with the past sixteen years." The girls laughed, as Syaoran simply huffed and rummaged through the fridge.  
  
"So anyways, Meiling, if you don't mind my asking, did I see you outside last night? I saw someone run through the backyard, and it looked like you." Sakura watched her friend, noting the look of worry on Meiling's face. It quickly disappeared, replaced by a smile.  
  
"I couldn't sleep, so I went for a run through the woods. Nothing to be worried about." Sakura nodded, feeling slightly silly that she had asked. Of course that's what she'd been doing. Meiling liked to run at night, especially when she couldn't sleep.  
  
"I should have known. I guess since you just went to bed so early, it kind of surprised me." Meiling nodded, smiling at her friend.  
  
"Well it's nice to know someone is concerned about me." They both looked back at Syaoran, who was juggling a few containers in his hands, trying to close the fridge door and not drop anything.  
  
"Speaking of that, what was bothering you yesterday? I might have let you get away last night after talking in the garden, but I know something is bugging you." Meiling met her cousin's eyes, not giving anything away.  
  
"Nothing. Stop pestering me." She shot him an annoyed look, as Syaoran shook his head.  
  
"Oh hey, have you guys noticed that car parked out front? It's been there for the past day, I just realized this morning." Meiling quickly cast her eyes down at the floor, not meeting Sakura's gaze. Of course they would realize the car had been there too. What if they went to speak to him? What if he told them where she was going at night?  
  
"Maybe we should go talk to him."  
  
"I'll do it." Meiling tried not to sound nervous as she offered, finally lifting her gaze from the floor.  
  
"Why don't we all go?"  
  
"No, really. Not necessary. Besides, you and Sakura have cooking to do." Meiling quickly got up, smiling at the two as she left the kitchen. The couple looked at each other, both extremely curious.   
  
"Wow, that sounded weird. Almost like she didn't want us to talk to the guy."  
  
"Too weird. Maybe it's someone she knows." Syaoran narrowed his eyes as he thought about the car sitting out front.  
  
"But where would she know him from? No one we know drives a car like that-"  
  
"Yesterday! When she called me. That's when he showed up. That car has been sitting there ever since then. Maybe he was bothering her or something. He must have followed her here!" Syaoran dropped the items he had in his hands, as he grabbed hold of the counter. "I definitely want to speak to him now."  
  
"Syaoran, shouldn't you ask Meiling first? She'd be mad if you just made assumptions like that."  
  
"No way Sakura, this explains everything." Syaoran met his girlfriend's eyes, already set in his mind on talking to the man.  
  
Meiling took a deep breath as she opened the front door, stepping outside. She looked across the road, at the car. She put on her bravest face, and walked across the front lawn, towards the road. As she walked towards the car, she saw the window roll down, and a hand emerge, dangling a lit cigarette. She walked up to the car, leaning down to look in, and get a glimpse of her stalker. Her breath caught in her throat, and words escaped her. It was the man from the club. The one who knew her name.  
  
"What do you want?" She spoke in her harshest voice, hoping she didn't sound like she was trying to cover up her fear. The man said nothing, just inhaled on his cigarette. "Why are you following me? What do you want with me?" She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him.  
  
"You know what I want." Meiling bit her lip, to keep it from quivering in fear. What was it about this man that frightened her?  
  
"No, I don't. But I do know that I want you to leave, before I call the police and have you arrested for stalking me." She shot him a smug look, certain he would back away now.  
  
"You wouldn't. Then they would know where it is you go at night." He blew a puff of smoke in her face, his voice displaying no emotion.  
  
"Well then I'll just have to get rid of you myself. You don't seem so tough." Meiling prayed he wouldn't see through her bravado.  
  
"I'll leave, but only because your friends are coming out. I'll be back." He rolled the window up, tossing his cigarette at her feet. As Syaoran and Sakura came up to her, he had pulled the car away. Meiling didn't look at her friends, simply stared at the car.  
  
"What did he want?"  
  
"Nothing. Just some weirdo. He's gone now though." Meiling turned to walk back to the house, trying to act tough in front of her friends. Inside she was very afraid. Afraid that this man would be back, and that he would tell her family what it was she was doing. Afraid that he would be back to take whatever it was he wanted from her. Never had she felt such fear before. 


	5. Two Men & A Lady

Well, this would have been up a few weeks ago, but a few things prevented it. One thing was the big ass power failure. Yay power failure. Stupid power. .  
  
Anyhow, as promised, here is the next chapter! I apologize profusely for it's lateness. Hope you enjoy it though! ^_^  
  
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Stopping in front of her cousin's door, Meiling listened for any sound. Not hearing anything, she continued on her way to the stairs. She crept down to the ground level, and looked out the front door window. There was no car sitting out front, to her relief. She quietly and quickly exited the house, keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings. Just because she couldn't see the man, did not mean he wasn't there. She forced herself to jog at normal speed, as her body instead wanted to run as fast as she could. She made it to the club at the usual time, and slipped inside, to sit at the bar and have her usual drink. She looked quietly over the crowd, relieved to not see the man anywhere.  
  
"What's on your mind, sweetie?" She turned to face the bartender, smiling at him and shaking her head.  
  
"Nothing. Just thinking."  
  
"You looked worried, I noticed the same thing last night. Are you sure everything is okay? Is anyone giving you any problems? I can fix that for you, you know…" She smiled again, standing up.  
  
"I'm fine. Stop worrying about me, you have enough to worry about." She winked, then retreated to the dressing room. She opened her locker, and set to changing. Tonight would likely bring her some extra money, as it tended to be the most popular day of the week. She just hoped the man wouldn't be here again. She would be fine as long as she didn't have to see his face.  
  
"Hey sweetie, back to the grind again, huh?" Meiling turned to Rina, forcing a smile to her face.  
  
"Yeah, hopefully next week will be my last."  
  
"That close already, you're so lucky. You just make sure that you don't blow it, you make something of yourself. I know you will though. I have faith in you." Meiling nodded in thanks, as she took her place by the stage. As much as she had grown to like Rina, she was determined to never turn out like her. She would follow through with her plans, and she would make something of herself, and she would prove everyone wrong. Before she got too caught up in her thoughts though, she reminded herself of the task that still lay ahead of her tonight. She would go all out this next week, and do whatever it takes to make as much money as possible. In one week's time, she hoped to be on her way to her goal. Not paying attention to her surroundings, she bumped into Atsuko on her way up to the stage, shrugging her shoulders apologetically as the Japanese woman scowled at her. Standing on the stage, she stared around the crowd, scanning for that one man. Not seeing him, she settled into her routine, working the crowd around the stage for as much as they would throw her way. Once finished, she walked off the stage, counting her tip money and smiling happily. Stuffing it into her purse, she tucked it safely away in her locker, than sat back and waited for her next assignment. It came quickly, as she was again requested in the red room. She skipped up the stairs, still quite happy about how close she was to being done with this place. She certainly wouldn't miss it.  
  
She pushed open the door, noting that the lights were turned off. She scanned the dark room with her eyes, still standing in the doorway. She considered calling out to see if someone truly was in here, but the need for that confirmation was quickly cut.  
  
"Come in and close the door. Keep the lights off." Meiling did as she was told, wondering if she was stuck with another weirdo for the night. "Do you see the flashlight there, on the floor? Pick it up and turn it on." Meiling had noticed the flashlight as soon as she had entered the room, so she knew exactly where it was. She picked it up and turned it on, keeping it pointed at the floor. "That's a good girl, now keep it on yourself, and don't think of flashing it over at me." The moment the words were uttered, Meiling groaned internally. This was definitely going to be another weirdo. To her surprise, the night went by rather quickly, and the man's demands, while strange, weren't really all that bad. To her surprise, he never laid a hand on her the entire time. When the two hours were over, and she bid him a goodnight, he surprised her by running towards her and knocking the flashlight from her hand. She tensed, preparing herself to fight him off. But again to her surprise, he simply grabbed her hand, and stuffed a wad of bills into it. "Thank you, for being so compliant. I have searched over for a girl as wonderful as you are. You have given me faith in the female gender." Meiling nodded, edging her way to the door. She stopped before opening it, looking back.  
  
"I'm probably only here for another week. So if you want to schedule me for the remaining nights, that could be arranged." She wasn't sure why, but she felt somewhat safe in this man's presence. Every time she was performing, she was on guard, waiting for some problem to arise. But with this man, she truly felt as though she had nothing to fear, that all he wanted was simply to look at her. If she could manage to get him to schedule her for her remaining nights, then she wouldn't have to worry about the other man. Not to mention, if he continued to tip her, she would have that much extra money. She was suddenly compelled to ensure he would schedule her, and keep her busy.  
  
"That is a welcome idea. I should speak to your manager. I will see you tomorrow night then." Meiling nodded, leaving quietly out the door, careful not to look back at him. In the lit hallway, she walked down towards the staircase, quickly skipping down the stairs, a smile on her face. The bar was cleared out of customers now, and she sat down in a chair to count her money. When she finished she was shocked, he had tipped her more than her entire earnings for the night. She glanced around quickly, feeling suddenly very protective and paranoid of her earnings. She made her way to the change room, stuffing her money in her purse. She got changed quickly, and walked back out to the bar area. She picked up the rest of her money from that night, said a few hasty goodnights, and left, preparing herself for the run back home. As soon as she stepped outside, however, she noticed the black car sitting directly in front of her. She stood, paralysed, momentary shock taking over her system. She noticed the window roll down, and she saw an arm jut out, shaking the ashes off of a cigarette. She knew she should either go back into the club, or run off before he had the chance to do anything, but she felt compelled to stand there, waiting for him to say something. She waited until he finished his cigarette, certain he would say something to her. But when silence continued to reign over them, she began to wonder exactly what was going to happen. Why wasn't he speaking? Why wasn't she speaking? Just as she was about to say something, he put up a hand to halt her speech. She was stunned, not having expected him to anticipate her words.  
  
"I know what you're going to say. I have no answers for you. Not at this time. Soon enough, however, everything will be crystal clear to you, Meiling. As for now, don't fear the future. It will always find you." His window rolled up, and to her surprise, the man drove away. She was left to mull over his words on the sidewalk, contemplating their meaning. She was still deathly afraid of this man for some reason, and she could feel her nerves bunching up inside of her. She stood on the side of the street for a while, unable to move. It wasn't until a car rolled up beside her, and she heard someone call out to her, that she came back to the present.  
  
"Hey sexy, you looking' for some company?" She stared at the man leaning out of the car before her, shooting him a look of disgust, before darting off down the street. She ran until her feet could feel it, until her lungs started burning. She wasn't pacing herself at all, she just sprinted in the general direction that would take her home. She ran through the woods, until she could see the light from the back porch streaming through the trees. She stopped, staring at the house in front of her. It wasn't until then that she noticed her cheeks wet with tears, and she gave in to her emotional state, crumpling to the ground and crying into her palms. After a while she calmed down a bit, and rose to her feet, stealthily making her way towards the back door. She slid it open, closing it behind her and climbing the stairs to her room. After changing into her pyjamas, she went to the bathroom, splashing her face with cold water. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, not liking what she saw. What she saw was a scared little girl, unable to handle to slightest bit of confrontation. She was determined not to cry anymore, and not to be scared. As she continued to pump herself up, she actually began to feel a little better. But then she looked out the window, and saw a black car sitting out front. She fled from the bathroom, locking her bedroom door behind her as she ran for the safety of her bed. She pulled her covers up around her, and told herself she would not cry. She clutched her comforter to her, hugging it tightly. She could feel it begin to get a little damp, so she moved her face to rest in a dry spot. When that spot also became damp, she tugged a new piece to her face. She continued this process until she finally fell asleep, too exhausted from the day's events to think anymore about her situation. 


	6. Prepare for Takeoff

Sorry this took so long, hopefully the next chapter won't. Hopefully being the key word. ;) Anyhow, things really start to pick up and be explained in this chapter. Now you finally find out what she's been working for. Well, to an extent. ;)  
  
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"Well sweetie, excited about your last night?" Meiling nodded, pushing her glass back to Ken, anxious to get the night over with. All she had left was her last session with the shadow man, as she had taken to calling him. The past week had been the same as the first night, and she had grown even more comfortable with performing for the man. He had paid her well, so well that she had considered calling off tonight, but had decided against it at the last minute. She felt she owed him one last time.  
  
As she walked up to the room, she wondered if tonight would be the same as the other nights. He knew it was their last time together, would he want anything more? She knocked at the door, pushing it open slightly. She entered, closing it behind her. She heard the sound of the flashlight rolling towards her, leaning down to pick it up.  
  
"Don't turn it on yet." She kept his request, keeping a firm grip on the flashlight nonetheless. She waited for him to say more, curious to what was in store. He had already broken his pattern. "I want you to listen to me. Take what I am about to tell you, and store it away somewhere for future reference." She cocked her head, her interest more than caught. "There will come a day when you must stand your ground. You have been running your entire life, but one day will come and you must stand. When the world around you is crumbling, you will stand. You alone will remain standing, and it is then that everything will become clear to you."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Good. Then let us continue on, for one last time." Meiling went through her usual routine with the man, although her mind was elsewhere. She didn't understand what he had meant. Would something happen tomorrow before she leaves? Would her family discover her plans and try to stop her? That must be it. The more she thought about it, the clearer it became to her. He must realize something was amiss in her life, why else would she be working here, making money, if not to leave? She congratulated herself on figuring out the man's otherwise cryptic message, glad she hadn't allowed her thoughts to wander off onto another path. Come tomorrow, she would be gone, and no one would stop her.  
  
~~~later on in the night~~~  
  
Meiling rounded the corner before her house, clutching her purse tightly to her. All that was left now was to finish packing, and to call herself a taxi for this evening. Everything else was taken care of. Earlier in the day she had secured her passport, new id and birth certificate, dated three years earlier. Meiling Li was no longer a 16 year old dependant upon her family, she was now a 19 year old adult, free to go anywhere she pleased. She had stored all her paperwork away safely, the only thing left now to pack was clothing. She came upon the house, and with one flutter of the eyelid, her mood crashed. But where fear had previously existed, as she now looked upon the black car sitting in front of her house, anger came in it's place. She stalked up to the car, leaning down to glare in through the window.  
  
"I was rather enjoying my week without seeing you, now what the hell do you want?" She dodged quickly as the man flicked his cigarette ashes her way, and fanned his smoke in another direction.  
  
"I know where you're going. I just wanted to tell you that when the time is right, I'll find you again." Before she had the chance to reply, his car quietly came to life, and he pulled away from her, leaving her to stare after him. She shook her head, trying to clear thoughts of him from her head. She was leaving tonight, and even he wouldn't stand in her way. She forced herself to walk calmly into her house, quietly skipping the steps up to her room. When she got to her room, she locked her door, drawing out her suitcase. She couldn't sleep, so she began to pack. She was only taking one bag with her, so she needed to take only those clothes that she really liked. She could always buy more once she got where she was going.  
  
An hour later, and she was finished. She pushed the suitcase under her bed, and finally slid under her covers, still not feeling the least bit tired. She set her alarm for the usual time, even if she didn't sleep at all, she didn't want to draw any undue attention to herself. She would simply go through the day as normally as possible, and then slip away, unnoticed, in the evening.  
  
~*~  
  
(the next morning)  
  
"Good morning, Meiling! Sleep well?" The Chinese girl stopped in her tracks, staring at the two people standing before her.  
  
"Fine. Why do you ask?" She cursed herself for sounding paranoid, hoping neither would pick up on it.  
  
"Because I usually ask you that every morning. Are you okay?" Sakura took a step towards her friend, noting that something seemed different.  
  
"I'm fine, really. I actually didn't sleep well last night, I had trouble falling asleep. You know, it just happens sometimes." She pushed her way towards the fridge, pulling out an apple and biting into it. Luckily neither of her friend followed up on her odd behaviour, as they both sat at the table, making plans for later in the day.  
  
"Hey, I'm gonna borrow that red shirt of yours. You know the one with the yellow flower detail on the side? It'll match my skirt so perfectly!" Meiling nearly choked on her apple as she watched Sakura slip from her chair, walking towards the stairs. Meiling forced the apple down, nearly choking on her words.  
  
"No! Wait, you can't go up there." She rushed to block off Sakura's path to the stairs, determined that she not go to her room. Sakura cocked her head, curious as to what had caused her friend to react that way.  
  
"Why not? Your room can't be in much more of a mess than Syaoran's."  
  
"My room is not messy. It's just, I'll find you the shirt later, okay?" Meiling inadvertently started chewing her lower lip, not even realizing the nervous gesture. Sakura nodded, wondering what Meiling was hiding. In the mean time, Syaoran had taken advantage of a distracted Meiling, and had slipped upstairs by another staircase, intent on finding out what his cousin was hiding. He walked into her room, and saw nothing amiss at first. He opened her closet, expecting to find whatever she was hiding in there. But there was nothing. On second glance, though, he noticed that Meiling's closet seemed to be a bit more sparse than usual. It was then that he turned around, and noticed her comforter on her bed stuck on something. He leaned down, and pulled out a fairly heavy suitcase.  
  
"Meiling! You wanna tell me what's going on?" Leaving the suitcase on her bed, Syaoran hurried down the stairs, coming to a halt before his cousin. Right away, he noticed the look of fear in her eyes.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"The suitcase. Under your bed? Fully packed?" The fear disappeared, replaced by that trademark annoyed expression.  
  
"It's none of your business, Syaoran. Just leave it be."  
  
"No, not this time. You're gonna need a better explanation than that." The stare-down between cousins continued, as Sakura simply watched on in shock.  
  
"I said to mind your own business. That means leaving me alone." Meiling called up all the anger in herself, determined to make her cousin step down. The other Li was just as stubborn, though, and refused to let her off the hook.  
  
"This is my business, Meiling. You're my business."  
  
"Don't you dare talk about me like that, as though I have to run everything through you. Don't you dare." Meiling stepped up to her cousin's face, her face registering such a look of anger, Syaoran actually stepped back. "What I do from now on is of no consequence to you, so I suggest you get off your pedestal." Meiling brushed her way past him, taking the stairs two at a time until she reached her room, at which point in time she slammed the door shut. The other two stood at the bottom of the staircase, shocked into silence.  
  
"Okay, did that make any sense at all to you? Am I missing something?" Sakura had no answer for her boyfriend, but wished she did.  
  
"So you said she has a suitcase packed? I wonder where she's going." Sakura longed to run up the stairs, fling open her friend's room and beg for details. She restrained herself, however. She wasn't about to let her curiosity get the better of her.  
  
In her bedroom, Meiling sat on her bed, her door locked. She had taken all her paperwork from her desk drawer, and went through everything again, placing it all in her purse. She contemplated calling that cab now, and just heading out to the airport already. She didn't want to face her cousin again. 


End file.
